I have always felt the guide deserves extra recognition when the effort seems above and beyond the call. An argument that has been ongoing with my father is whether to tip the guide at all. Specifically the captain of a boat.
Last year I went out with a cape guide and told my nephew father and his freind they should pitch in on a tip (they didn't guide felt stiffed). 10 percent for good fishing and up to twenty if the effort and fishing is truly outstanding(not unlike a waitress in a restaraunt).
I am just looking for opinions.
Thanks in advance.

15% is pretty standard for a decent job. Some guides charge for the flies (pretty common on western trout streams) some do not. I always felt more inclined to tip more than 15% when the guide didn't charge for flies and put forth the extra effort, ie, suggestions, extra attention for newbies and including a few extras in the lunch bucket. Most guides are not getting rich on the deal, so I like to see the good ones make it. Over the years I have gotten some great patterns and tying tips from guides.
Cheers,
DK

It always bugs me when guides charge you for flies. I mean what does it cost to tie a trout fly, 5 cents?

I do the same - 10% for a good day 15% or better for a truly outstanding day. Another way of looking at it is how hard they work for you...which might be different than the end result. Fishing down in Harkers last fall we hit a slow day and Brian Horsely had us on the water from sun up until dusk. Couldn't beleive we didn't run out of gas and he seemed truly dissapointed that we didn't have a better day. That is good guiding in my book, despite the outcome.

Of course he pulled out the stops for us and we nailed them the next day which made it all the sweeter

When people ask me what is the standard tip after a day of me tkaing them out fishing, I look them straight in the eye and with a straight face say:
"How much you got in your account?"
That usually puts everybody at ease (because they know I am kidding). If I get a tip, I am happy, if not I am still happy. However, more money is always better than less.

In my line of work 20% is a standard tip and I'll go to 40% based on the situation and the tab.

If you pull all the stops out for me I'll reward you handsomely.

I could care less if you are the owner or not. If you are doing the job well you deserve every penny you get. In this day and age competent and attentive service is a rarity and should be compensated as such........

I used a local guide who dropped the ball on a trip that I had booked. He stayed up all night the day before our trip and was off his game. I still tipped him anyway because Boston is a small town and I didn't want to get the reputation of a cheap skate. I should have not even paid him for the trip as I was ripped off. Moral of the story , only the good guides really last. Just watch some of the good ones at work like Dave Pearson. They work hard for their clients and are worth the extra compensation.
FishHawk

If I felt that I had to come up with some sort of convoluted plan like that to assure my quided treatment I would not go with that guide in the first place. If I was the quide and anyone did anything to show that they thought thier trip would be different because of a promised tip, I would be highly offended and that person would find it impossible to rebook! Beau

I hate to be the odd man here,but. 3, 4, 5 hundred dollars a day and a guide feel stiffed if he doesn't get a tip? Especially if he works for himself? He sets his rates and demands(if he feels stiffed, demands would be a accurate discription) an extra 10 to 15 %. If a guide goes out of his way to teach you something or help you a reward should be given, if he rows you down the river and if you catch fish all well and good, that's something else. A tip to me is a reward for extra effort, you've already paid for the ride and he set that rate.